What a great group you all are!

Oh Joyce, I might just take over from Kelly with a daily question.......LOL!

Deb

you don't have to wait for your approval, to start attending the support group. You might find it helpful to start going now.

Welcome to the group. I hope you continue to find it helpful, and try to move past the drama when it happens.

Hi Monica & thanks for the nice welcome post! 

I did think about going to one of the support group meetings but then I thought it would make me feel even worse if I wasn't approved for the surgery. Kind of like, having a taste of something and not being able to have it after all - does that make sense? I wonder how often it happens that people are denied the surgery and why? My BMI is 61 & I have quite a few co-morbidities, so I think it should be okay. We'll see.

I've already learned a lot just from reading the posts each day and the drama doesn't bother me - Life is full of drama so I'll just ignore it if it pops up here. I'm really appreciative of how much information you all share - that's wonderful, especially for a newcomer who is just getting her feet wet.

Deb

that does make sense, Deb, but i think  you're a shoe in for surgery. You'd have to have some major psychological issues going on, to not be approved at this point, with your BMI and co-morbs. I think you should go to the group anyway, but you can take that or leave it.

Thanks Monica, I feel that I should be approved also, but I've learned not to assume too much, just in case.  I worry about my untreated sleep apnea causing a problem, although my sleep doctor provided a letter stating that we had tried many different masks with the CPAP machine and we simply couldn't get one that fit properly. Dr. Cheung, at the clinic, didn't say that it was a problem or a roadblock to surgery and he didn't tell me that I would simply have to wear a mask if I wanted to have surgery. I'm just worried. I also have high blood pressure but I've read that many people find that their blood pressure goes back to the normal range after surgery, so that's another plus.

You're right - I think that I will go to the support group meeting just to meet some of the other people here who have had the surgery or are trying to have it. I'm sure that I would learn a lot about the process, before & after. Gee, it didn't take much to convince me to go, huh? Thanks for the nudge, Monica - LOL!

Well, I'm just finishing my 14 hour fast so I'm heading over to the lab to get my blood work done, as my doctor directed, but I'll be back to read some more in just a bit.

Deb 

Welcome, welcome Deb, so glad you posted and introduced yourself. WLS is a wonderful thing and brings such a healthier life that you can't wait what the future will bring. I know when I was fat, I dreaded doing so much. Now I get so pleasantly surprised when I try things that used to make me exhausted are so easy.

Your time will come soon.

Hello Liz!

Thanks for such a warm welcome and I totally agree with you - WLS is definitely a wonderful thing! I am so amazed at the "before and after" pics of some of you - I can't believe it's the same person and I just can't imagine myself being thin like that! What a dream come true! I've been overweight all my life and yes, I dread doing anything or going anywhere. When you're fat, you feel unattractive and you just want to hide in the house which is definitely not good. As you wrote, so many things make me exhausted - I can't imagine it any other way. Reading all of your posts gives me such hope to think that I might actually be able to drop 200 lbs and many sizes - it seems unreal. I am so happy for all of you who have successfully made this journey and are enjoying the freedom of being a "normal" size!

Deb

Welcome. It is exciting isn't it!...and it only gets better!!!

Hi NewBeginnings!

Thanks for taking the time to welcome me! I am so excited just reading about everyones' wonderful changes - it must be so amazing when it's your turn!  I quit smoking three years ago & I honestly feel that my life just gets better and better since I've become a non-smoker, but this is even more exciting than that! I sure am glad that I quit when I did since they told us at our orientation meeting that you can't have gastric bypass surgery if you're a smoker - at least that's one roadblock out of the way!

Deb

Welcome to the forum Deb - looking forward to getting to know you.